Tag Archive | "Kent Intermediate School District"

Cedar Springs Public Schools participates in both the Kent Intermediate School District (ISD) and the 105c Schools of Choice plans. If you would like to be put on the mailing list to receive an application, please contact Pam Kozicki at pam.kozicki@csredhawks.org OR (616) 696-1204 x1008.

Kent ISD Schools of Choice Plan

Families residing within the Kent ISD, but not a resident of the Cedar Springs School District may apply for enrollment by requesting a Kent ISD Schools of Choice application from their resident district or choice district during the application period, April 14 – May 31.

105C Schools of Choice Plan

Families who reside in a district which borders the Kent ISD, may apply under the Schools of Choice 105c plan during the application period, April 14 – May 16.

The Cedar Springs Board of Education began input sessions this week from various groups in the community as they start their search for a new Superintendent.

Superintendent Ron McDermed will retire in July, after serving 25 years in the district. He was hired as an elementary principal in 1989, and served in that role until 1997, and then as associate superintendent over curriculum until 2009, when he was chosen as Superintendent to replace outgoing Superintendent Andy Booth.

The Board of Education voted to use the services of the Kent Intermediate School District, and consultant Mike Washburn, former Superintendent at Forest Hills Public Schools, to run the search.

The board met with community members prior to Monday night’s board meeting, and with several other groups this week at various school buildings. They would like input from parents, staff and community members in what they value in the Superintendent’s role. If you have not yet had a chance to attend one of these sessions, they will meet on January 20 with the Cedar Springs Education Association in Conference Room B at Hilltop at 6:30 p.m., and again before the regular board meeting at 6:30 p.m. on January 27.

Cedar Springs Public Schools received the Kent County Board of Commissioner’s Chairman Award at the 4th annual Green Schools Awards Ceremony on April 19, 2011, at the Caledonia Fine Arts Center. The award recognizes district-level energy projects, and this is the third time Cedar Springs has received the award.
The ceremony, hosted by Kent County and the Kent Intermediate School district, honored individual schools and five districts with 82 awards. Green certificates were given to individual schools for their green efforts, including Cedar Trails Elementary, Beach Elementary, Red Hawk Elementary, and Cedar Springs Middle School.
“Districts are working hard to save energy and taxpayer dollars and have long taught environmental awareness in their classrooms. This new program helps us recognize their efforts,” said Kent ISD Superintendent Kevin A. Konarska.
Some of the environmental activities Kent ISD schools are doing to earn their certificates include holding a recycled fashion show for the community and tending a school garden that grows vegetables for the school’s lunch room.
The Cedar Springs district-wide energy program began in 2004 and has saved the district $1.25 million, or 26 percent in projected energy costs. For the 2009-2010 school year, it saved $240,000, or 33 percent.
According teacher and energy manager John Willette, the environmental impact of the program is carbon reduction of more than 7900 metric tons of carbon dioxide; carbon dioxide reduction is equal to approximately 10 years of growth of over 200,000 tree seedlings, or removing 1,400 cars from the road.
Willette says that 100 percent of the money saved able to be used for the important work of educating students. “In this challenging fiscal environment these efforts have saved jobs and programs while helping to keep class sizes smaller.”
Cedar Springs was one of only five districts to receive the Chairman Award. The others were Caledonia, Lowell, Rockford, and Thornapple Kellog.

It just wouldn’t be spring without a school field trip to the nature center. So it’s good news that Howard Christensen Nature Center, operated by Lily’s Frog Pad, will reopen on April 15, after closing in January due to funding cuts.

Cindy Perski, who took the lead in creating Lily’s Frog Pad, the non-profit group operating the center, will initially volunteer at the center full-time until they can find a part-time director. “We just don’t have any income right now,” she explained.

The operating budget for the center with a part-time director is $45,000. “We are working feverishly to find another organization to partner with, but we haven’t had any bona fide offers yet,” said Perski.

The property is owned by the Kent Intermediate School District, and Perski said that they have been “super supportive” in helping them reopen. “They rented the land to us for a $1 per year,” she noted.

The center will have many of the regular ongoing programs such as school field trips, after school programs, summer camps, family programs, scout programs and more. Some newer programs include dog walking on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a children’s craft time on Wednesdays, a 10-day adult outdoor wilderness survival, a seniors get together, and more activities. Families can even rent a 10-foot by 5-foot patch of land to grow a garden. For more information visit www.lilysfrogpad.com.

A volunteer orientation day is scheduled for Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They are looking for people who enjoy volunteering outdoors to work with the naturalists, teach kids about nature, help maintain the trails, cleaning, data input and filing, donating goods, and more. RSVP by emailing cperski@charter.net or calling (616) 325-4554.

Those wishing to make a donation to help with expenses should make checks out to Lily’s Frog Pad Inc. Contributions can be mailed to 12380 Pine Island, Drive, Sparta, MI 49345.